Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesdays Tale
Yesterday I weighed myself on the machine at the chemist where I had weighed myself before, and I discovered that I have lost 4.4kg. Of course, being so fat to start with, it isn't really noticeable, but I feel a sense of triumph anyway. If a skinny person loss the same amount, everyone would notice. It is my Slimming World meeting tonight.
Sean's Party is on Saturday and he is doing a lot of work on invitations and arrangements for food and music etc.
I have been looking for a suitable outfit to wear to the party and I hope I now have the right combination of things to choose from, no matter what the weather does. I have never had much confidence in buying clothes, mostly because I get impatient and just take anything that fits comfortably, as I get fed up with shops and fitting rooms. I do a fair bit by mail order, and was very pleased with some Hush Puppies from Littlewards. I got stuff from Wynsors too, and again I was very pleased. I will have to go to town to get a new bra to wear with my V necked blouses as my existing ones are visible when wearing those blouses. Young girls don't seem to mind, but I feel that underwear should be kept out of sight, even if it IS clean and paid for.
Caelyn is very tired and is craving sleep. Her face is puffy and she doesn't look well, and the baby is due any day now. The last few weeks of pregnancy are heavy going. Nigel had to see the Dr for the first time since they moved house. He hates going to a Dr, but he felt so rough with a chest infection that he had no choice. He is on antibiotics and doesn't look too well himself at the moment.
My mother is having a South African friend of long standing to stay with her and she is looking forward to Margaret's visit. Talking of visits, my brother Stephen and his wife are coming from Australia for a visit too, and we are very excited about that. Their website is HERE. They have a great little business of providing top quality holiday accommodation for tourists. It is a beautiful part of the world.
Finally (things to do) a bit about Wendy. She isn't too sure about mummy having another baby, and she has had a cold, so she is a bit grumpy and demanding. Not all the time, but she is needing extra reassurance. Her vocabulary has really taken off. She now says 'perfect' as well as all the other things she says. Her Nursery School teachers are happy with her, and so are we.
Sean's Party is on Saturday and he is doing a lot of work on invitations and arrangements for food and music etc.
I have been looking for a suitable outfit to wear to the party and I hope I now have the right combination of things to choose from, no matter what the weather does. I have never had much confidence in buying clothes, mostly because I get impatient and just take anything that fits comfortably, as I get fed up with shops and fitting rooms. I do a fair bit by mail order, and was very pleased with some Hush Puppies from Littlewards. I got stuff from Wynsors too, and again I was very pleased. I will have to go to town to get a new bra to wear with my V necked blouses as my existing ones are visible when wearing those blouses. Young girls don't seem to mind, but I feel that underwear should be kept out of sight, even if it IS clean and paid for.
Caelyn is very tired and is craving sleep. Her face is puffy and she doesn't look well, and the baby is due any day now. The last few weeks of pregnancy are heavy going. Nigel had to see the Dr for the first time since they moved house. He hates going to a Dr, but he felt so rough with a chest infection that he had no choice. He is on antibiotics and doesn't look too well himself at the moment.
My mother is having a South African friend of long standing to stay with her and she is looking forward to Margaret's visit. Talking of visits, my brother Stephen and his wife are coming from Australia for a visit too, and we are very excited about that. Their website is HERE. They have a great little business of providing top quality holiday accommodation for tourists. It is a beautiful part of the world.
Finally (things to do) a bit about Wendy. She isn't too sure about mummy having another baby, and she has had a cold, so she is a bit grumpy and demanding. Not all the time, but she is needing extra reassurance. Her vocabulary has really taken off. She now says 'perfect' as well as all the other things she says. Her Nursery School teachers are happy with her, and so are we.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Blog Template Changed
I have changed the Blog template. This is a standard, preset template.
I had designed my own one but recently there was an html error which caused the sidebar to go to the bottom of the page, and the Blog could only be viewed in Opera.
I am in the process of trying to design another template of my own, but until then, this is it!
I had designed my own one but recently there was an html error which caused the sidebar to go to the bottom of the page, and the Blog could only be viewed in Opera.
I am in the process of trying to design another template of my own, but until then, this is it!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wendy's Goings On
Wendy is picking up new words every day. Her latest one is 'disgusting' alongside 'delicious' and 'not a snowballs'. As she is now 3, she has been awarded extra time at Nursery School. She loves going and is in such a hurry to go and play that she doesn't even say goodbye to whoever takes her. She just rushes in and seizes the day.
Her mum was like that in her overseas schools, but when we came to the UK, she was bullied and became a school refuser. I got into trouble for her absences, but I couldn't understand why the school didn't sort the bullying kids out. No one believed that she had made a habit of going to school early to see her friends and help her teacher.
Wendy's diet is very mixed. Yesterday at my house she had carrot, cucumber, lettuce, rice, fish, apples, orange, mushrooms and an ice lolly. She persuaded Michelle to make her popcorn the other day and the two of them made themselves comfortable on the sofa to eat it.
I think we are all keenly aware of who Wendy is and how she is growing and developing because we are all worried that the birth of the new baby might be unsettling for her. To rethink: yes, the arrival of Teresa will be unsettling. Of course it will. Wendy will need to be reassured about her place in the family and that she is still loved and treasured.
As Teresa's birthday approaches, Wendy can be heard singing Pop goes Teresa - and Nigel swears he has nothing to do with it!
Her mum was like that in her overseas schools, but when we came to the UK, she was bullied and became a school refuser. I got into trouble for her absences, but I couldn't understand why the school didn't sort the bullying kids out. No one believed that she had made a habit of going to school early to see her friends and help her teacher.
Wendy's diet is very mixed. Yesterday at my house she had carrot, cucumber, lettuce, rice, fish, apples, orange, mushrooms and an ice lolly. She persuaded Michelle to make her popcorn the other day and the two of them made themselves comfortable on the sofa to eat it.
I think we are all keenly aware of who Wendy is and how she is growing and developing because we are all worried that the birth of the new baby might be unsettling for her. To rethink: yes, the arrival of Teresa will be unsettling. Of course it will. Wendy will need to be reassured about her place in the family and that she is still loved and treasured.
As Teresa's birthday approaches, Wendy can be heard singing Pop goes Teresa - and Nigel swears he has nothing to do with it!
A True Murder Mystery
A Murder Mystery (true story) A must read:
For those who have served on a jury...this one is something to think about...Just when you think you have heard everything!! Do you like to read a good murder mystery? Not even Law and Order would attempt to capture this mess. This is an unbelievable twist of fate!!!!
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science, (AAFS)President Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:
On March 23, 1994 the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus, and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head. Mr. Opus had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide. He left a note to the effect indicating his despondency. As he fell past the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window, which killed him instantly. Neither the shooter nor the deceased was aware that a safety net had been installed just below the eighth floor level to protect some building workers and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned.
The room on the ninth floor, where the shotgun blast emanated, was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was threatening her with a shotgun! The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife, and the pellets went through the window, striking Mr. Opus. When one intends to kill subject 'A' but kills subject 'B' in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject 'B.' When confronted with the murder charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant, and both said that they thought the shotgun was not loaded. The old man said it was a long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her. Therefore, the killing of Mr. Opus appeared to be an accident; that is, assuming the gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident.. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, he was guilty of the murder even though he didn't actually pull the trigger. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.
Now for the exquisite twist... Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus. He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten-story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window. The son, Ronald Opus, had actually murdered himself. So the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
A true story from Associated Press.
For those who have served on a jury...this one is something to think about...Just when you think you have heard everything!! Do you like to read a good murder mystery? Not even Law and Order would attempt to capture this mess. This is an unbelievable twist of fate!!!!
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science, (AAFS)President Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:
On March 23, 1994 the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus, and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head. Mr. Opus had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide. He left a note to the effect indicating his despondency. As he fell past the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window, which killed him instantly. Neither the shooter nor the deceased was aware that a safety net had been installed just below the eighth floor level to protect some building workers and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned.
The room on the ninth floor, where the shotgun blast emanated, was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was threatening her with a shotgun! The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife, and the pellets went through the window, striking Mr. Opus. When one intends to kill subject 'A' but kills subject 'B' in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject 'B.' When confronted with the murder charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant, and both said that they thought the shotgun was not loaded. The old man said it was a long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her. Therefore, the killing of Mr. Opus appeared to be an accident; that is, assuming the gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident.. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, he was guilty of the murder even though he didn't actually pull the trigger. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.
Now for the exquisite twist... Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus. He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten-story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window. The son, Ronald Opus, had actually murdered himself. So the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
A true story from Associated Press.
Monday, April 20, 2009
A man died and went to Heaven
A man died and went to heaven. As he stood in front of St. Peter at the
Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him. He asked,
"What are all those clocks?"
St. Peter answered, "Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on Earth has a
Lie-Clock. Every time you lie the hands on your clock will move."
"Oh," said the man, "Whose clock is that?"
"That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved, indicating
that she never told a lie."
"Incredible," said the man. "And whose clock is that one?"
St. Peter responded, "That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have
moved twice telling us that Abe told only two lies in his entire life."
"Where's Jacob Zuma's?" asked the man.
"Zuma's clock is in God's office. He's using it as a fan."
Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him. He asked,
"What are all those clocks?"
St. Peter answered, "Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on Earth has a
Lie-Clock. Every time you lie the hands on your clock will move."
"Oh," said the man, "Whose clock is that?"
"That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved, indicating
that she never told a lie."
"Incredible," said the man. "And whose clock is that one?"
St. Peter responded, "That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have
moved twice telling us that Abe told only two lies in his entire life."
"Where's Jacob Zuma's?" asked the man.
"Zuma's clock is in God's office. He's using it as a fan."
Heaven and Hell
A holy man was having a conversation with God one day and said, '
God , I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
God led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of
the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They
appeared to be famished.
They were holding spoons with very long handles, that were strapped
to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and
take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not
get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
God said, 'You have seen Hell.'
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the
same as the first one.
There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which
made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here
the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man
said, 'I don't understand.'
It is simple,' said God . 'It requires but one skill.
You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'
God , I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
God led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of
the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They
appeared to be famished.
They were holding spoons with very long handles, that were strapped
to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and
take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not
get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
God said, 'You have seen Hell.'
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the
same as the first one.
There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which
made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here
the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man
said, 'I don't understand.'
It is simple,' said God . 'It requires but one skill.
You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Spring Special
Today was a bit special.
The sun was out, although with a cold wind. It was a happy sort of day.
Nigel came and managed to do a temporary repair on my Breeze scooter, for which I am very grateful indeed.
Brakkie ate some minced chicken, and as it was was the first meal he had had since Wednesday, I was very pleased. I had been seriously worried about the little chap.
After Nigel got the scooter going, we went to town for some Italian ice cream, and there was a friendly ice cream fight between Nigel and Wendy.
When we got back, all us ladies were tired and had a zizz. When Sean came, he and I attended a beautiful and reverent Mass. After that, we went to dinner at Giovannis. Wendy was OK at first but then got tired, poor little scrap.
As we were almost outside the restaurant, we heard shouting. It was Michelle. She and her mate Mark came to join us for a glass of wine but they left when our food came as they had already eaten.
The sun was out, although with a cold wind. It was a happy sort of day.
Nigel came and managed to do a temporary repair on my Breeze scooter, for which I am very grateful indeed.
Brakkie ate some minced chicken, and as it was was the first meal he had had since Wednesday, I was very pleased. I had been seriously worried about the little chap.
After Nigel got the scooter going, we went to town for some Italian ice cream, and there was a friendly ice cream fight between Nigel and Wendy.
When we got back, all us ladies were tired and had a zizz. When Sean came, he and I attended a beautiful and reverent Mass. After that, we went to dinner at Giovannis. Wendy was OK at first but then got tired, poor little scrap.
As we were almost outside the restaurant, we heard shouting. It was Michelle. She and her mate Mark came to join us for a glass of wine but they left when our food came as they had already eaten.
Friday, April 17, 2009
My Poor little Brak
I took Brakkie for his dental surgery on Wednesday. I hated leaving him there as I know all about his separation anxiety. My scooter broke down twice on the way home, almost as if it didn't approve of me leaving him there.
But when I picked him up, my heart broke. They had to remove 33 of his teeth and now he has only 6 left. I knew the dental work needed to be done and I needed a bit of time to get the money together, but I had no idea how urgent it was. The Vet hadn't mentioned its urgency when I took him for a check up. I feel really terrible. The poor little chap must have been in agony. How could I not have known? They had to give him antibiotics and extra pain relief.
Later that night, his pain relief wore off. We crushed a pill and Michelle chewed meat to soften it (his mouth was very sore) and we rolled the meat over the crushed tablet in small pieces, and he got some relief after that.
Terrie, God bless her, was worried about him all day and came to visit him. Bless her, she lay on the floor with him for a while. Caelyn was having contractions which turned out to be strong Braxton Hicks, but Terrie said if I had to go to the hospital with Caelyn, she would come over and look after him. Wasn't that incredibly kind? I would have felt awful about leaving him but I would have put my daughter and her unborn baby first. It was a comfort to know someone really cared about him. Michelle would have helped but she works odd shifts so isn't always available.
We put him on the couch later, and Frog was there for comfort.
We put a blanket on him too. It is awful seeing him like this.
I am having great difficulty getting his antibiotic in him. He won't let anyone near his sore mouth and I tried to put it in some food but it was so bitter he wouldn't take it.
But when I picked him up, my heart broke. They had to remove 33 of his teeth and now he has only 6 left. I knew the dental work needed to be done and I needed a bit of time to get the money together, but I had no idea how urgent it was. The Vet hadn't mentioned its urgency when I took him for a check up. I feel really terrible. The poor little chap must have been in agony. How could I not have known? They had to give him antibiotics and extra pain relief.
Later that night, his pain relief wore off. We crushed a pill and Michelle chewed meat to soften it (his mouth was very sore) and we rolled the meat over the crushed tablet in small pieces, and he got some relief after that.
Terrie, God bless her, was worried about him all day and came to visit him. Bless her, she lay on the floor with him for a while. Caelyn was having contractions which turned out to be strong Braxton Hicks, but Terrie said if I had to go to the hospital with Caelyn, she would come over and look after him. Wasn't that incredibly kind? I would have felt awful about leaving him but I would have put my daughter and her unborn baby first. It was a comfort to know someone really cared about him. Michelle would have helped but she works odd shifts so isn't always available.
We put him on the couch later, and Frog was there for comfort.
We put a blanket on him too. It is awful seeing him like this.
I am having great difficulty getting his antibiotic in him. He won't let anyone near his sore mouth and I tried to put it in some food but it was so bitter he wouldn't take it.
Absolutely Incredible
My brother in Australia sent me a link to this YouTube video. He told me to watch all the way through as it would be worth it, and he was right. I was in tears of happiness and wonder by the end. If your computer has speakers, watch it. Its unbelievable. Just click on the text below:
Susan Boyle
There is another song by her on the website of her local newspaper.
And here is a bit more about her:
Susan has lived alone with her cat Pebbles since her mum Bridget died two years ago at the age of 91.
She has admitted that she has never been on a date or even been kissed but she was too shy to discuss her spinster lifestyle on CBS.
“Aaah, no comment,” she said. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Susan suffered a mild form of brain damage at birth and she admitted to Sawyer that she was bullied when she was younger. “They did a bit,” she said, “but they always do that with someone who is quiet and I tended to be quiet at school.
“Well, they have turned around. They are nice to me now, so we will move on from there.”
Susan said her friends and family were “gobsmacked” by her success.
And when Sawyer asked what she would say to her late parents if she could, she replied: “I would like to say thank you for supporting me over the years, thank you for looking after me and I hope I can make you proud.”
The church worker, from Blackburn, West Lothian, is now an internet hit, with her performance netting more than five million hits on YouTube.
There is more from her local paper here
SINGER Susan Boyle wowed everyone with her stunning performance on Britain's Got Talent - everyone except herself.
Watching the ITV1 show in her council house, she wasn't focusing on her amazing rendition of West End hit I Dreamed a Dream. The Scots sensation was too shocked at how she looked. Susan, 48, of Blackburn, West Lothian, said: "They say TV makes you look fat and it certainly did.
"I looked like a garage. It was mortifying to see and a bit of a shock. I didn't realise I could reduce people to tears and I hope it wasn't because of that."
But Susan - who has never had a boyfriend and was bullied because of her appearance while growing up - is determined not to let it upset her. She added: "I'm proud to be part of the show. It really is a dream come true."
Susan got a standing ovation when she walked into her local Catholic church for yesterday's Easter service. She said: "It was incredible. Although we sing in church, not a lot of them knew how good I was, so it was a bit of a shock to them.
"I'm a bit shy and retiring so they would never have known. It was very emotional. Everyone is very nice and it's lovely when all the kids stop me in the street to congratulate me."
There is another song by her on the website of her local newspaper.
And here is a bit more about her:
Susan has lived alone with her cat Pebbles since her mum Bridget died two years ago at the age of 91.
She has admitted that she has never been on a date or even been kissed but she was too shy to discuss her spinster lifestyle on CBS.
“Aaah, no comment,” she said. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Susan suffered a mild form of brain damage at birth and she admitted to Sawyer that she was bullied when she was younger. “They did a bit,” she said, “but they always do that with someone who is quiet and I tended to be quiet at school.
“Well, they have turned around. They are nice to me now, so we will move on from there.”
Susan said her friends and family were “gobsmacked” by her success.
And when Sawyer asked what she would say to her late parents if she could, she replied: “I would like to say thank you for supporting me over the years, thank you for looking after me and I hope I can make you proud.”
The church worker, from Blackburn, West Lothian, is now an internet hit, with her performance netting more than five million hits on YouTube.
There is more from her local paper here
SINGER Susan Boyle wowed everyone with her stunning performance on Britain's Got Talent - everyone except herself.
Watching the ITV1 show in her council house, she wasn't focusing on her amazing rendition of West End hit I Dreamed a Dream. The Scots sensation was too shocked at how she looked. Susan, 48, of Blackburn, West Lothian, said: "They say TV makes you look fat and it certainly did.
"I looked like a garage. It was mortifying to see and a bit of a shock. I didn't realise I could reduce people to tears and I hope it wasn't because of that."
But Susan - who has never had a boyfriend and was bullied because of her appearance while growing up - is determined not to let it upset her. She added: "I'm proud to be part of the show. It really is a dream come true."
Susan got a standing ovation when she walked into her local Catholic church for yesterday's Easter service. She said: "It was incredible. Although we sing in church, not a lot of them knew how good I was, so it was a bit of a shock to them.
"I'm a bit shy and retiring so they would never have known. It was very emotional. Everyone is very nice and it's lovely when all the kids stop me in the street to congratulate me."
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Petition Prime Minister - please help
Dear all,
We need your help.
Alongside the forthcoming international M.E conference in May we have created a petition to get government representation at the conference; after all invites to MP's have thus far been declined ( it’s not too much to ask as its already in Westminster)
This is an important cause as it focuses on the latest biological research in to M.E / CFS. Government representation is needed to highlight the true nature of this illness; as well as the need for further research and treatment of this poorly understood condition. There are also now drugs available in other countries which are not yet available here on the NHS. Raising political awareness of this issue is therefore important to all sufferers.
We have 1700 signatures so far and WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL THE 1ST OF MAY – which is when the petition closes.
Please click the link below yourself to sign, it only takes 30 seconds.
It would be great to show the government strength in numbers on this issue, as it effects so many peoples lives.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendIiME2009/
For more details please go to http://www.investinme.org/index.htm or http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=61071010975
We need your help.
Alongside the forthcoming international M.E conference in May we have created a petition to get government representation at the conference; after all invites to MP's have thus far been declined ( it’s not too much to ask as its already in Westminster)
This is an important cause as it focuses on the latest biological research in to M.E / CFS. Government representation is needed to highlight the true nature of this illness; as well as the need for further research and treatment of this poorly understood condition. There are also now drugs available in other countries which are not yet available here on the NHS. Raising political awareness of this issue is therefore important to all sufferers.
We have 1700 signatures so far and WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL THE 1ST OF MAY – which is when the petition closes.
Please click the link below yourself to sign, it only takes 30 seconds.
It would be great to show the government strength in numbers on this issue, as it effects so many peoples lives.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendIiME2009/
For more details please go to http://www.investinme.org/index.htm or http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=61071010975
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Blast Murphy's Guts!
We all know Murphy's Law, What can go wrong will go wrong. Murphy was right.
In my last post, I mentioned that my big mobility scooter, the Breeze 3 or Beast, developed wobbly steering and that I have taken it off the road for safety reasons.
So I took Brakkie to the Vet this morning using the Pride Revo 4. It struggled a bit with the Dover Rd hill. I took Brakkie in to the vet then tried to come home. The Revo came to a standstill. I thought perhaps a connection was loose so I took it apart and put it together again and it worked so off I went, thinking nothing of it. I was going downhill and was just outside Hambrook and Johns when the Revo stopped again. I phoned for a taxi but nobody with a Black Cab was on duty. Eventually my son in law came to fetch me, which wasn't fair because he is taking me to fetch Brakkie from the Vet later this afternoon.
Now I have no working scooter, I will be pretty much housebound again, as I have not budgeted for taxi fares. I would never have thought that they would both break down at the same time.
BTW, it is weird driving a scooter with no Brak. Nigel felt odd when he went out and there was no furious barking. Its just so odd without him. He looked so miserable when I left him with the Vet.
In my last post, I mentioned that my big mobility scooter, the Breeze 3 or Beast, developed wobbly steering and that I have taken it off the road for safety reasons.
So I took Brakkie to the Vet this morning using the Pride Revo 4. It struggled a bit with the Dover Rd hill. I took Brakkie in to the vet then tried to come home. The Revo came to a standstill. I thought perhaps a connection was loose so I took it apart and put it together again and it worked so off I went, thinking nothing of it. I was going downhill and was just outside Hambrook and Johns when the Revo stopped again. I phoned for a taxi but nobody with a Black Cab was on duty. Eventually my son in law came to fetch me, which wasn't fair because he is taking me to fetch Brakkie from the Vet later this afternoon.
Now I have no working scooter, I will be pretty much housebound again, as I have not budgeted for taxi fares. I would never have thought that they would both break down at the same time.
BTW, it is weird driving a scooter with no Brak. Nigel felt odd when he went out and there was no furious barking. Its just so odd without him. He looked so miserable when I left him with the Vet.
Insensitive Comments
I think most people with 'Invisible' disabilities, especially if they are young, are subjected to insensitive comments. 96% of disabilities are 'Invisible' and there are loads of people with no understanding of a condition who take it upon themselves to either trivialise it or tell them how to cure it.
This page on About.com deals with that issue, and I thought it sufficiently helpful to repost it here.
It's a sad reality that having fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) means sometimes having to deal with insensitive comments made by people who, A) don't understand what these illnesses are like, or B) don't believe that they're really illnesses. These comments can put us in an uncomfortable position, and I've found that it pays to think ahead of time about how I'll respond.
When they just don't understand: For people with ME/CFS, the standard one is something like, "I get tired, too." We also hear things like, "My knees have been really achy lately - maybe I have fibromyalgia." These comments are aggravating, but they're generally from well-meaning people who are trying to show that they can relate to us (even though they're showing how much they don't.) Personally, I don't feel like I need to respond to these comments. If someone made them repeatedly, though, I might respond with a lighthearted comment like, "I don't 'get tired,' I never feel awake," or, "Wow, I wish only one part of my body hurt."
When they don't believe we're sick: It's especially rough when these come from doctors and other health-care workers. I know people who've been told, "That's just what they tell you when they don't know what's wrong," or far worse. I haven't encountered doctors like this personally (I know, I've been incredibly lucky!), but I have a response prepared: "You don't pay much attention to research, do you?" Then I'd leave and find a different doctor. If they were part of a clinic or hospital, I'd send a complaint letter to the administrator.
When it's a non-medical person, we each have to decide for ourselves whether it's better to respond or not. It's normal to get defensive and fight back, but that could lead to an even more stressful confrontation. If you feel like you need to say something, be prepared to put the offender in the hot seat. Jennifer Heisler RN, About.com's Guide to Surgery suggests simply saying, "I'm sure you have no idea how insensitive that comment was." You could also say, "You're lucky you don't know just how real this is." One of my favorites is, "Do you believe in MS and Alzheimer's?" When they looked shocked and say, "Of course," then you say, "A few decades ago, nobody believed in them, either." Once you've given your response, walk away. That will show how offended you are, and it also will allow you to get out of there before you become emotional or get tripped up by brain fog.
This page on About.com deals with that issue, and I thought it sufficiently helpful to repost it here.
It's a sad reality that having fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) means sometimes having to deal with insensitive comments made by people who, A) don't understand what these illnesses are like, or B) don't believe that they're really illnesses. These comments can put us in an uncomfortable position, and I've found that it pays to think ahead of time about how I'll respond.
When they just don't understand: For people with ME/CFS, the standard one is something like, "I get tired, too." We also hear things like, "My knees have been really achy lately - maybe I have fibromyalgia." These comments are aggravating, but they're generally from well-meaning people who are trying to show that they can relate to us (even though they're showing how much they don't.) Personally, I don't feel like I need to respond to these comments. If someone made them repeatedly, though, I might respond with a lighthearted comment like, "I don't 'get tired,' I never feel awake," or, "Wow, I wish only one part of my body hurt."
When they don't believe we're sick: It's especially rough when these come from doctors and other health-care workers. I know people who've been told, "That's just what they tell you when they don't know what's wrong," or far worse. I haven't encountered doctors like this personally (I know, I've been incredibly lucky!), but I have a response prepared: "You don't pay much attention to research, do you?" Then I'd leave and find a different doctor. If they were part of a clinic or hospital, I'd send a complaint letter to the administrator.
When it's a non-medical person, we each have to decide for ourselves whether it's better to respond or not. It's normal to get defensive and fight back, but that could lead to an even more stressful confrontation. If you feel like you need to say something, be prepared to put the offender in the hot seat. Jennifer Heisler RN, About.com's Guide to Surgery suggests simply saying, "I'm sure you have no idea how insensitive that comment was." You could also say, "You're lucky you don't know just how real this is." One of my favorites is, "Do you believe in MS and Alzheimer's?" When they looked shocked and say, "Of course," then you say, "A few decades ago, nobody believed in them, either." Once you've given your response, walk away. That will show how offended you are, and it also will allow you to get out of there before you become emotional or get tripped up by brain fog.
Took my Dad to the Mall
took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes (he is 92). we decided to grab a bite at the food court. I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him.
The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue.
My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time.
When the teenager had had enough, he sarcastically asked, 'what’s the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?'
Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response, knowing he would have a good one, and in classic style he did not bat an eye in his response was:
‘I got drunk once, and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son.'
The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue.
My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time.
When the teenager had had enough, he sarcastically asked, 'what’s the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?'
Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response, knowing he would have a good one, and in classic style he did not bat an eye in his response was:
‘I got drunk once, and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son.'
Brakkie's Teeth and the Beast
Brakkie is booked to have his dental work done today. I got up early and bathed him because I was too tired to do it yesterday. I will take him to the Vet's surgery for 9am. He has to be fetched at 5pm and my son-in-law Nigel is going to take me to pick him up because I think scooter travel is not for small silly dogs who are dopey from anaesthesia.
I will have to use my small scooter which is much slower than the Breeze (affectionately known as the Beast) because I have had to take it off the road. The pin that keeps the tiller firmly at the correct angle has become loose. There has been a fair bit of 'play' on it for a while. Nigel is going to look for his angled screwdriver to open up the panel to see if it is simply a matter of tightening up the thread at the end of the pin. I really hope it is because I hate not having my dependable beast of burden ready and willing to go.
My mother and Wendy had a good time together yesterday.
I had taken her to the Leas whilst her Mum and Dad were grocery shopping. One of her favourite games is 'Hiding', and here she is, hiding behind a lamp post. See the fun on her face.
I will have to use my small scooter which is much slower than the Breeze (affectionately known as the Beast) because I have had to take it off the road. The pin that keeps the tiller firmly at the correct angle has become loose. There has been a fair bit of 'play' on it for a while. Nigel is going to look for his angled screwdriver to open up the panel to see if it is simply a matter of tightening up the thread at the end of the pin. I really hope it is because I hate not having my dependable beast of burden ready and willing to go.
My mother and Wendy had a good time together yesterday.
I had taken her to the Leas whilst her Mum and Dad were grocery shopping. One of her favourite games is 'Hiding', and here she is, hiding behind a lamp post. See the fun on her face.
Josie's new car
My mother got her new car today. It is 6 months old and has 700 miles on the clock. It is an ex demo model. Her old Honda Civic is still an excellent car, but the seats are very low and she has been having trouble getting in and out of it. The new car, a MyVie, is easy to get in and out of and has an amazingly big interior. She got herself a bargain there, and she is very happy about it.
Here it is:
Here it is:
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter Sunday
Sean drove back from Downside and got home safely.
Yesterday I started with ME symptoms again and feel quite rough with sore throat, aching muscles and joints and nausea. I will have to rest up or I will be no use to Caelyn when she is in labour.
My mum picked me up after church and we went for a lovely drive in the beautiful Kent countryside. We came upon a pub in Bilsington, The White Horse, and we had their Carvery.
The meat was beef, pork and lamb, which were cut and served by the Chef. Aside from that, there were Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, new potatoes, parsnips, swede, runner beans, cabbage and carrots, plus gravy and condiments such as mint sauce and mustard. The inside of the pub was very nice but we sat in the gardens so that Brakkie could be with us. The service was very good too.
This is the White Horse Pub
After that we went back to my Mum's house where we had some tea and I sorted out a problem on her computer. Her garden is looking lovely.
Mum's Tulips
And dear little Jenny
Jenny is a lovely Oriental cat with oodles of personality. She's just great, and a good friend too. She has complete contempt for Brak and he doesn't bother her in the slightest. My own cats did a number on his head years ago and he is very respectful towards the feline species, which is very right and proper too.
He is having his dental work under anaeasthetic on Wednesday so Terrie is coming to help me bath him on Tuesday.
Mum's fruit and veg are coming along nicely too. She will be away when her raspberries are ready so I offered to take Wendy to pick some. She picks two at a time, gives you one and eats one herself and then goes off for another round. Wendy has planted a sunflower in a pot in Josie's garden, and is loving seeing it grow. Kate would like to do that sort of thing with Wendy too, but she is far too busy presently.
Yesterday I started with ME symptoms again and feel quite rough with sore throat, aching muscles and joints and nausea. I will have to rest up or I will be no use to Caelyn when she is in labour.
My mum picked me up after church and we went for a lovely drive in the beautiful Kent countryside. We came upon a pub in Bilsington, The White Horse, and we had their Carvery.
The meat was beef, pork and lamb, which were cut and served by the Chef. Aside from that, there were Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, new potatoes, parsnips, swede, runner beans, cabbage and carrots, plus gravy and condiments such as mint sauce and mustard. The inside of the pub was very nice but we sat in the gardens so that Brakkie could be with us. The service was very good too.
This is the White Horse Pub
After that we went back to my Mum's house where we had some tea and I sorted out a problem on her computer. Her garden is looking lovely.
Mum's Tulips
And dear little Jenny
Jenny is a lovely Oriental cat with oodles of personality. She's just great, and a good friend too. She has complete contempt for Brak and he doesn't bother her in the slightest. My own cats did a number on his head years ago and he is very respectful towards the feline species, which is very right and proper too.
He is having his dental work under anaeasthetic on Wednesday so Terrie is coming to help me bath him on Tuesday.
Mum's fruit and veg are coming along nicely too. She will be away when her raspberries are ready so I offered to take Wendy to pick some. She picks two at a time, gives you one and eats one herself and then goes off for another round. Wendy has planted a sunflower in a pot in Josie's garden, and is loving seeing it grow. Kate would like to do that sort of thing with Wendy too, but she is far too busy presently.
Michelle
Michelle has a nasty bug which is giving her temperatures, and she has been at work with it. I do hope she is OK. She isn't easy to get hold of, but I feel sure that if something was really wrong, someone would tell me.
Poor Caelyn
Caelyn can't get comfortable walking, sitting, standing or lying down. Her bladder sends her running to the loo every few minutes. The baby is kicking her ribs and to add insult to injury, she is growing out of her Maternity clothes. She is fed up with being pregnant and yet she knows when Teresa Jayne is born, she will get even less rest than she does now and she will have a lot more work to do.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Maundy Thursday
Sean left for Downside on Thursday. It feels odd, him going on his own. He phoned in the evening to say that he had arrived safely and that all was well.
A sweet family scene
Wendy 'writing'
'Great with Child' to use a Biblical phrase
When I got back home, I was tired. I think the week caught up with me. Michelle was still in bed as she wasn't feeling well. Nigel came to drop Caelyn and Wendy off. Richard came to see Michelle. Lisa came to cut my hair and my mother came to take Lisa home, so you can imagine the noise and chaos. When I feel tired and unwell, I really can't handle noise. Each one of these dear people thinks nothing of starting a new conversation while another one is still going on. They will interrupt while someone else is saying something and so I have to try to keep track of at least two conversations at once, and it does my head in! Why can't they wait until someone has stopped talking before they add their 5p worth? The other 'sin' is when they interrupt me while I am trying to say something and they jabber away. After a while they say "you were saying ... ?" as if there was any hope of me remembering. It makes me feel like a totally inconsequential idiot.
I wish I knew what to do. I have explained to everyone that since getting ME, I can't bear too much noise and I certainly can't follow more than one conversation at a time. It creates enormous, exhausting tension in me and I need an extended period of solitude and silence to recover. And, as you guessed, solitude and silence are not easy to come by.
Caelyn's pregnancy is back on track and going well. Her Consultant is happy and thinks she may be able to deliver at Buckland Hospital, as she would like. Buckland is a lovely little hospital and their Maternity Unit is wonderful.
Her bump is really quite big now, and she is suffering all the discomforts of advanced pregnancy.
36 weeks pregnant
A sweet family scene
Wendy 'writing'
'Great with Child' to use a Biblical phrase
Monday, April 06, 2009
Zola Budd
I have been writing about Wendy's love of going barefoot, and it made me think of how 'normal' going barefoot is in South Africa. I used to take off my shoes all the time, and my kids did as well. It took years for me to adjust to the English ideas about covering the feet up. I hardly ever go barefoot now, but enjoy seeing Wendy running around barefoot, feeling the grass beneath her feet.
All this to say that Zola Budd was a famous South African athlete who famously run barefoot. Here are a couple of Zola quotes:
Coming from a farming background, I saw nothing out of the ordinary in running barefoot, although it seemed to startle the rest of the athletics world. I have always enjoyed going barefoot and when I was growing up I seldom wore shoes, even when I went into town.
I found them uncomfortable and after that I decided to continue running barefoot because I found it more comfortable. I felt more in touch with what was happening - I could actually feel the track.
If you type Zola Budd barefoot into Google, it comes up with thousands of entries.
All this to say that Zola Budd was a famous South African athlete who famously run barefoot. Here are a couple of Zola quotes:
Coming from a farming background, I saw nothing out of the ordinary in running barefoot, although it seemed to startle the rest of the athletics world. I have always enjoyed going barefoot and when I was growing up I seldom wore shoes, even when I went into town.
I found them uncomfortable and after that I decided to continue running barefoot because I found it more comfortable. I felt more in touch with what was happening - I could actually feel the track.
If you type Zola Budd barefoot into Google, it comes up with thousands of entries.
Dog's Dental Work
Brak has been booked to have his dental work under anaesthetic next Wednesday the 15th June.
The Folkestone surgery doesn't have an operating theatre, so I have to take him to the Folkestone surgery at 09h00 and they will put him in a crate and take him to Dover. I will fetch him at the Folkestone surgery at 17h00. I will ask them to trim his nails while he is under anaesthetic as he hates having it done.
I'm so pleased that this is happening, because I'm sure he has been having toothache, and toothache is a miserable thing to have, as millions of people know all too well.
What he doesn't know yet is that he is in for a jolly good bath before his dental surgery. Hopefully, he will soon be looking like this again:
The Folkestone surgery doesn't have an operating theatre, so I have to take him to the Folkestone surgery at 09h00 and they will put him in a crate and take him to Dover. I will fetch him at the Folkestone surgery at 17h00. I will ask them to trim his nails while he is under anaesthetic as he hates having it done.
I'm so pleased that this is happening, because I'm sure he has been having toothache, and toothache is a miserable thing to have, as millions of people know all too well.
What he doesn't know yet is that he is in for a jolly good bath before his dental surgery. Hopefully, he will soon be looking like this again:
Friday, April 03, 2009
Thursday
I got back from Tonbridge, stopped at Sainsburys for some shopping and went home. Michelle had emptied the washing machine, dried the clothes and folded them up nicely, and I was touched by her thoughtfulness.
I spoke to Caelyn. Wendy developed a high fever in the night, so they stripped her and put the fan on her. Nigel did most of the night nursing, God bless him. They took her to the Dr this morning, and he diagnosed a chest infection and prescribed an antibiotic. She is still infectious, so she is being kept away from my mum and me. My mum is already developing a cold and is planning to take things easy for a few days. I don't want a chest infection either, especially as Caelyn wants me with her when Teresa Jayne is born.
I've had a fair bit of busy-ness and excitement lately and it caught up with me. I absolutely HAD to sleep this afternoon and I woke up, disorientated, 6 hours later, and I need to go back to sleep soon because I'm tired again. I had planned on cooking a big batch of mince for the freezer, but it will have to be tomorrow instead.
I did this picture, just for fun. It comes from the next picture down of Sean on the train on the way back from London on Monday.
I spoke to Caelyn. Wendy developed a high fever in the night, so they stripped her and put the fan on her. Nigel did most of the night nursing, God bless him. They took her to the Dr this morning, and he diagnosed a chest infection and prescribed an antibiotic. She is still infectious, so she is being kept away from my mum and me. My mum is already developing a cold and is planning to take things easy for a few days. I don't want a chest infection either, especially as Caelyn wants me with her when Teresa Jayne is born.
I've had a fair bit of busy-ness and excitement lately and it caught up with me. I absolutely HAD to sleep this afternoon and I woke up, disorientated, 6 hours later, and I need to go back to sleep soon because I'm tired again. I had planned on cooking a big batch of mince for the freezer, but it will have to be tomorrow instead.
I did this picture, just for fun. It comes from the next picture down of Sean on the train on the way back from London on Monday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Take it from Me
